The “Pétainist” Prefect and His Successors Arrested in Côtes-du-Nord (1940-1944)

The Ghosts of Vichy: How Local Collaboration Still Echoes in Historical Research

The recent publication of Alain Lozac’h’s Vichy en Bretagne (1940-1944), focusing on collaboration in the Côtes-du-Nord (now Côtes d’Armor) region of France during World War II, isn’t just a local historical account. It’s a microcosm of a broader trend: a renewed, granular examination of collaboration and resistance during the Occupation, moving beyond broad narratives to focus on the complexities of individual choices and regional variations. This shift reflects a growing public interest in understanding the nuances of this period and its lasting impact.

From National Narratives to Local Realities

For decades, historical accounts of WWII France often presented a binary: heroic Resistance fighters versus villainous collaborators. Lozac’h’s work, like many contemporary studies, dismantles this simplistic view. By focusing on the actions of three successive prefects – Jacques Feschotte, initially sympathetic to Pétain, and his two successors who became increasingly critical of Vichy – the book highlights the evolving nature of collaboration and the pressures faced by those in positions of authority. This localized approach is becoming increasingly common. Historians are now delving into departmental archives, police records, and personal testimonies to reconstruct a more accurate and multifaceted picture.

The Rise of Microhistory

This trend aligns with the broader academic movement of microhistory, which emphasizes the study of small-scale social phenomena to illuminate larger historical processes. Instead of analyzing sweeping political events, microhistorians focus on the experiences of ordinary people, revealing the subtle ways in which power operated and how individuals navigated difficult circumstances. For example, research into the records of the Section Spécialisée des Affaires Militaires (SSAM), the Vichy regime’s military court, reveals the sheer volume of petty denunciations and opportunistic collaborations that characterized the period. A 2020 study by the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, analyzing SSAM records across France, found that over 80% of cases involved accusations of minor offenses, such as listening to BBC broadcasts or harboring Allied airmen, rather than large-scale acts of treason.